The Best Nail Looks From NYFW

The over-the-top, super-embellished, even architectural nail-art creations of seasons past took a break for the fall shows. For the most part, nails went back to basics, with toned-down textures, sophisticated patterns, and lots and lots of neutral color. Here, seven of our favorite looks.

3.1 Phillip Lim

The models' short, rounded nails were painted with one coat of deep purple. The shade, Crossroads, was one of nine polishes that the designer created in collaboration with Nars (the collection launches in August).

Band of Outsiders

For this trompe l'oeil look, manicurist Deborah Lippmann coated short nails with Naked, a khaki-colored lacquer from her line, then outlined them with Amazing Grace, an opaque white. To keep lines sharp, Lippmann suggests moving the finger itself (not the brush) as you paint.

Derek Lam

Pale pinks and peachy flesh tones ruled the runways, and this was one of the loveliest iterations of the nude trend that we saw. For a clean, classic effect, manicurist Jin Soon Choi layered two of her pink polishes (one coat of the Best of Beauty–winning, beigy Jinsoon nail polish in Nostalgia and then one coat of the sheer Muse).

Honor

To highlight the red and pink florals that peppered the collection, Lippmann paired Break 4 Love, a punchy pink that comes out in March, with It's Raining Men, a cherry red. After applying the red to oval-shaped nails, she added the pink, stopping a bit above the cuticle, which allowed slivers of red to peek out.

Tracy Reese

Sparkles and shimmers got all sophisticated on us at the Tracy Reese show. Manicurist Tracylee achieved a broken-mirror effect with Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Somber Bliss, a gray, topped with Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Shattered Stars, a mega-glittery silver, which she created exclusively for Reese's show. Tracylee says that with the glittery coats (three were needed for the textured mica effect), she dabbed it on, instead of brushing it on, to really flood the surface with sparkle.

Marc Jacobs

Here was another one of our favorite understated moments. Manicurist Marian Newman used a range of nude shades (all from a Marc Jacobs Beauty collection launching this fall) to match the pale, powdery colors of the clothes.